Vending-machine.



J. A. WEBSTER.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.19, 1910 Patented Deo. 9, 1913.

JOHN A. VJEBSTER, 0F RUTHERFOR-D, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AUTOSALES GUM AND CHOCOLATE COMPANY, 0F NEVI YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

VENDINGr-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patenteolec. 9, 1913.

Application filed January 19, 1910. Serial No. 538,859.

To all whom may concern.'

Be it known that l, .lor-IN A. Wnsrnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rutherford, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vending- Machines, of which the following is a specification.

ln the drawing, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a vending machine with the front plate removed, the machine being closed; Fig. 2 is a similar View with the parts in unlocked position, parts being shown in dotted lines, and Fig. 3 is a reverse elevation of the front plate removed. Fig. 4, is a longitudinal view in cross-section taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 2; andy Fig. 5, is a plan view of the machine.

1Vlhile I have shown my invention in the preferred form as embodied in a single article delivery machine, it is7 of course, obvious that parts and combination of parts may be used in other types of vending machines.

The box shown in the drawings is of the well-known type seen in places of amusement, in which there is a package holder and projector 2 shown in full lines above the top of the box and in dotted lines below the top of the box in Fig. 2 and also shown in Fig. 4. Packages of candies, nuts, etc., are placed on this holder in the box and when the box lid 3 is opened, the springs shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, project the holder and package above thetop of the box in such position that the package may be conveniently grasped and removed from the machine. Thus far, l have .described constructions heretofore patented.

he front plate or wall 1 of the box has an opening 4 from which extend two cutout portions 5 toward the top of the box and two cutout portions 6 toward the bottom of the box. To the inner side of the front wall 1 is secured a plate 1a, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, which extends over the opening 4. The plate 1a is provided with a pair of horizontal slots '.7 in alinement with the cutout portions 5 and 6, for a purpose to be hereinafter referred to.

8 is a locking plate passively mounted in the recess 4 from which extend two locking bolts 9 which are bent at right angles at 9a and project through the slots 7 and are adapted to engage the keeper l0 on the under side of the lid 3.

12 is a lug struck up from the plate 8 to be hereinafter referred to.

In order to prevent the goods from being accidentally caught on the inwardly projecting shoulder 9a of the locking bolts 9, l preferably provide a guard plate 1b which is conveniently secured to the plate 1a. As seen from Fig. 4, the guard plate 1b extends slightly beyond the lugs 9a, thereby keeping the goods out of contact with these lugs.

rlhe locking plate 8 is provided with a slot 13, one side wall of which is beveled as at 14.

15 is a slot in the bottom edge of the plate y 8 terminating at one end in a hook 16; the opposite wall of the slot being beveled as at 17. It will be noticed that the locking plate is shorter than the opening 4, whereby it may be moved back and forth.

18 is a passive lever pivoted at 19 in the cutaway portion 6; the Lipper end of this lever projects into the slot 13 and is rounded and is provided on one side with a rounded projection 20, the object of which is to reduce friction.

21 is a thrust knob secured to the lever 18 about midway its length.

22 is a pawl pivoted at 28 in the other cutaway portion 6 and provided with a tooth 24.

25 is an arm integral with the pawl and disposed at an angle thereto.

26 isa thrust knob secured to the lower end of the arm 25.

27 is a spring to actuate the pawl 22.

The locking plate, lever, pawl and arm are in the recesses below or flush with the plane of the front of the box, while the knobs 19 and 26 project beyond said plane as will be hereinafter pointed out.

28 is the front cover plate (see Figs. 3 and 4) having openings 2821 at each corner, whereby it may be secured to the front of the box or machine by screws, bolts, or rivets as found most convenient. The cover plate 28 is provided on its under face with a coin-slot 29 of suitable size, which is enlarged as at 30 to receive the manually operated check receiver 31 which is pivoted therein. Connected rigid with this receiver is a knob 33 (shown in Fig. 5, and also in dotted lines in Fig. 3), said knob having coin chute to a spindle 34 seated in the elongated slot 35 and firmly held there by means of the screw 36.

The check receiver is provided with two concave seats 37 in its perimeter adapt-ed to receive checks, tokens, etc., introduced through the mouth ont the chute 29 as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. rlhe perimeter ci the receiver is also provided with lugs 38 situated between the coin seats 37.

39 is a T-shaped groove radiating from the coin slot 29 in which is slidably mounted a detent 40 provided with a teat extending at right angles thereto into the other branch of the groove 39.

41 is a spring seated in the groove and bearing against the teat to actuate the detent. This detent, in its projected position, is always in sliding engagement with the perimeter' of the receiver 31 and the receiver is always susceptible to a progressive movement, but is locked against a retrograde movement by reason ot' the detent engaging one of the lugs 38, as shown in Fig. 3.

42 is an obstruction extending into the prevent the coin dropping out of the machine. rlhis obstruction is controlled by the lock mechanism 43, which can be manipulated only by a special key inserted in the groove 44.

The parts being in the position shown in Fig. 1, a coin is inserted in the chute and is received in one of the concaved seats 37 of the receiver or manually operated device. The receiver is now revolved by means of the knob 33, and the coin or other token 45 (shown in dotted lines) is projected against the knob 21 of the lever 18, and the lever is pushed against the left wall of the slot 13 which acts as a slight resistance; the thrust of the coin under the influence of the revolving receiver is now exerted against the knob 26 oi the pawl 22, the knob 21 acting as a fulcrum for the coin which results in the pawl being depressed, thus drawing its tooth 24 from engagement with the tooth 16 ot' the slot 15. The pawl then reaches the downward limit of its movement by coming into contact with the wall of the recess 6, whereupon its knob 26 acts as a :tulcrum and the thrust of the coin under the influence of the receiver is thrown against the passive lever 18 which in turn communicates the thrust to the passive locking plate and slides said plate to the lett in the recess 4, as shown in Fig. 2, whereupon the locking bolts 9 are withdrawn from engagement with the keeper 10 and the cover 11 is free to swing open on its hinges 47. Preferably the cover is provided with a spring to cause it to open when releasedV and remain open until again locked in place. The coin then is free to drop in the slot 29 until arrested by the obstruction 42. Before the parts are restored to locked position, a package of candy, etc., is placed in the machine on the holder; the detent 48 is pushed back into the box and the holder is depressed in the box putting the springs, shown in dotted lines, under compression; the cover 11 is then swung down to closed position and a special key inserted in the groove 49 until it strikes the lug 12 by means of which the passive locking plate is slid to the right in the recess 4 and the locking bolts engage the keeper 10, thereby locking the machine. When the plate is in this position, the pawl 22 snaps into the groove 15 which locks the plate against movement, except by intervention of a coin, token, etc.

The advantage resulting from the detent 40 and the lugs 38 on the receiver is that the receiver cannot be given a retrograde movement, which has caused some annoyance in the past; another advantage is that the seat 37 is normally immediately under the mouth of the coin chute, thus eliminating unnecessary manipulation of the knob, all of which results in satisfaction to the public.

ln the claims, I shall refer to the plate 8 and bolts 9 as a locking bolt, and shall refer to the receiver and knob 33 as a manually operated device.

What I claim is 1. In a vending machine, the combination with'a slidable passive locking bolt, a pawl to hold the boltin its locked position, and a lever adapted to move said bolt when released to itsunlocked position, of means to force an insertible element between said lever and pawl, whereby said pawl is operated to release the bolt and said lever is operated to move the released bolt.

2. In a vending machine, the combination of a locking bolt provided with a pair-of slo-ts or recesses, a movable lever adapted to engage in one of said slots, a pawl constructed to engage the wall of the other slot, said lever and pawl having portions arranged to be engaged by an insertible element, and means to i'orce said insertible element between said portions, whereby said pawl is operated to release the bolt and said lever is operated to move the released bolt.

3. In a vending machine, a locking bolt having a slot near one end, and a slot near the other end', a lever movable in one of said slots, a pawl constructed to engage the wall of the other slot, knobs projecting from said lever and pawl, and means to force an insertible element between said knobs, whereby the bolt is operated.

4. In a vending machine, the combination with a slidable locking bolt having a transverse slot near one end and a slot in its under face near the other end, a passive lever movable in said transverse slot, and a detent adapted to engage the wall of the other slot, knobs on said lever and detent, and means to force an insertible element between said knobs, whereby the bolt is free to be thrown into unlocked position.

5. In a vending machine, the combination with a slidable locking bolt having a transverse slot near one end and a slot in its under face near the other end, of a passive lever movable in said transverse slot, a detent adapted to engage the wall of the other slot, knobs on said lever and detent projecting in the path of an insertible element, a detent holding the manually operated device against a retrograde movement, and means to force said insertible element against said knobs, whereby the bolt is operated.

6. In a vending machine, the combination with the front plate thereof having recesses therein, of a slidable locking bolt having a transverse slot near one end and a slot in its under edge near the other end, a passive lever movable in said transverse slot,

a detent adapted to engage the wall of the other slot, all positioned in said recesses, knobs on said lever and detent projecting in the path of an insertible element, and means to -force said insertible element against said knobs whereby the bolt is operated.

7. ln a vending machine, the combination of a slidable member, a pavvl to lock said member in normal position, a movable lever adapted to actuate said member when released, and means to force an insertible element between said lever and said pawl, whereby said pawl is operated to release said member and said lever is operated to actuate the released member.

In testimony whereof l afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

A. J. EWING, THOMAS S. CRANE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. C. 

